Tigers lose combo no-no bid in 9th, prevail in 10

DETROIT -- Tyler Saladino tripled and scored with one out in the ninth inning to spoil what would have been the Tigers' first combined no-hitter in club history, but Rajai Davis' walk-off triple in the 10th inning secured a 2-1 win over the White Sox on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Davis' seventh career walk-off hit -- on a 90-mph fastball off White Sox reliever Zach Duke -- plated Anthony Gose from first base, ending a dramatic day in Detroit in appropriate fashion.

"The fact it was a triple you know you have a chance to score," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Saladino's big hit. "It's one thing if we were getting beat 4-0, that would have probably been a different sound, but we had a chance to tie it up."

Prior to the ninth, four Tigers pitchers had combined to toss eight no-hit innings. Left-hander Daniel Norris began with five perfect frames, and Buck Farmer, Ian Krol and Drew VerHagen delivered an inning each to hand the ball to Neftali Feliz with a chance at history. Saladino had other ideas, though, and laced a hanging slider into left-center. He scored a batter later on Adam Eaton's grounder into right field, tying the game at 1.

Video: CWS@DET: Saladino breaks up no-no with triple

"In that situation, we are just trying to score a run and stay in the game," Saladino said. "A one-out triple is helpful, and then Eaton came through with the hit. That was a good way … . It's not about the no-hitter. It's just about getting back in the game."

Through eight innings, the White Sox only baserunner had been Eaton, who was hit by Krol's second pitch in the seventh.

"I guess a combined no-hitter is kinda one of those weird things," Norris said. "It would be easy to not really realize it. It would have been neat."

Video: CWS@DET: Ausmus talks about the team's near no-hitter

White Sox starter Jose Quintana pitched around trouble in the first inning and allowed just one run on eight hits over seven frames. The lone blemish was James McCann's run-scoring single to center in the seventh, plating J.D. Martinez.

Tuesday marked one of several near no-no's by Detroit this season. In July, Anibal Sanchez allowed a one-out single in the eighth, and ace Justin Verlander surrendered a leadoff double in the ninth inning against the Angels on Aug. 26.

"It's definitely a little different when you have multiple pitchers [going for a no-hitter]," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "No question."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Pulled while perfect: In his second start off the disabled list, Norris was operating on a strict 65-pitch limit. The rookie made the most of that allotment, cruising through five innings without allowing a baserunner, but Ausmus didn't hesitate in handing the ball to the bullpen. After a 1-2-3 sixth from Farmer, Krol hit Eaton in the seventh to break up the bid for the first combined perfecto in Major League history.

"Before the Minnesota [start], because they told me I had 40-45 pitches, I was like, 'What if I had a no-hitter?'" Norris recalled asking pitching coach Jeff Jones. "I was just joking around. It was funny." More >

Video: CWS@DET: Norris throws five perfect frames, fans four

Can't get him early: Detroit managed two singles in the first inning off Quintana, putting runners on first and second with one out. Quintana has struggled in the first inning this season, but he managed to induce a Victor Martinez double play to end the frame.

Video: CWS@DET: White Sox turn three double plays vs. Tigers

Running Rajai: The Tigers' game-winning rally in the 10th started with a two-out walk from Anthony Gose against Duke. Gose, who is hitting .161 against lefties this season, scored easily moments later on Davis' triple into the right-field corner. It was the outfielder's first walk-off hit since June 2014, and the Tigers' 10th walk-off win of the season.

"It's funny, if there's a runner on second, I'd probably have pinch-hit for [Gose]," Ausmus said. "But there's two outs and no one on, and you have to see if Gosey can face lefties on a more consistent basis if he's going to be an everyday center fielder. So we let him hit, he gets a walk and then Raj drives him in. This game can be funny sometimes."

Video: CWS@DET: Davis discusses walk-off triple

You can't spell no-decision without a Q: Make it a Major League-high 51 no-decisions for Quintana since '12. Quintana was in trouble basically twice on Tuesday, pitching out of a jam in the first and allowing one run in the seventh. The White Sox took him off the hook when they finally got a hit, let alone a run, in the ninth. He has 24 quality starts this season.

"That's part of the game," said Quintana of the lack of support. "The other starter threw five perfect innings. Every time when I go out, I try to be focused on what I have control over."

Video: CWS@DET: Quintana holds Tigers to one run over seven

REPLAY REVIEW
With one out in the eighth inning, Alexei Ramirez was ruled to have reached safely on an error by third baseman Nick Castellanos, whose high throw to first base pulled Miguel Cabrera off the bag. The Tigers challenged, and a 45-second review deemed Cabrera had applied the tag on Ramirez.

Video: CWS@DET: Tigers challenge, call overturned

WHAT'S NEXT
White Sox: After five relief appearances in which he struck out 10 in eight innings, Frankie Montas makes his first big league start Tuesday at 12:08 p.m. CT at Comerica Park. Montas worked exclusively as a starter for Double-A Birmingham this past season.

Tigers: Verlander takes the hill for Detroit in Wednesday's series finale, which is scheduled for a 1:08 p.m. ET start. The right-hander has pitched to a 2.13 ERA with 69 strikeouts to 14 walks over his last 11 starts, but he has just three wins to show for it.

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